Center for the Study of Black Families and Children
Structural racism persists and exerts pernicious effects on Black families and children in the United States. For example, Black Americans are more likely to live in poverty, experience health inequities, and face adverse outcomes across multiple measures of children’s well-being compared to White Americans. Understanding structural racism holds significant policy implications for mitigating racial inequality. Therefore, our Center is dedicated to investigating how and in what ways structural racism manifests in the lives of Black families and children, with a particular focus on economic inequality, health disparities, and children’s well-being.
Overview
The CSBFC aspires to become a leading research center that establishes a foundation for transformative scholarship on Black families and children. We aim to cultivate a vibrant intellectual community at the University of Tennessee by attracting and supporting scholars and students engaged in high-quality research that benefits the university, Knoxville, and informs regional, national, and international discussions. The CSBFC is an intellectual space dedicated to studying Black families and children by fostering a diverse and inclusive research environment, facilitating groundbreaking research, bridging the gap between research and practice, promoting professional development, and encouraging collaboration.
901 McClung Tower
1115 Volunteer Blvd.
Knoxville, TN 37996
People
Deadric Williams
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
Director, Center for the Study of Black Families and Children
Dr. Williams’ research and teaching focus on race & racism, Black families, poverty & economic hardship, stress & health, and quantitative methods (longitudinal and dyadic analyses). My work emphasizes three general themes: (1) racism and families, with an emphasis on Black families; (2) racism and quantitative methods; and (3) stress and health.
Jennifer Bolden-Bush
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
Dr. Bolden-Bush is interested in understanding neuropsychological correlates of attention, learning, and disruptive behavior problems in children to inform psychological science and evidence-based practices. Her research programs seeks to understand core and associated features of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in an effort to inform the development and validation of novel, impairment specific assessments/intervention methods.
Jasmine Coleman
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Dr. Coleman uses a social-ecological framework to explore the roles of youths’ family, peer, and community microsystems in the development and maintenance of aggressive behavior. Her research program aims to develop, implement, and evaluate family-focused programs that reduce violence and promote positive development in Black families.
Lyndsey Hornbuckle
Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies
Dr. Hornbuckle researches health disparities in underserved groups, particularly African American communities. Her current work aims to reduce cardiometabolic risk through culturally relevant physical activity and exercise interventions.
Andrea Joseph-McCatty
Assistant Professor, College of Social Work
Dr. Joseph-McCatty’s research focuses on children’s well-being with a specific interest in school discipline and trauma among Black girls.
Programs
We will have monthly brown bag presentations. For Fall 2024, we have two scheduled. Dr. Lyndsey Hornbuckle will offer the first presentation on October 21st, and Dr. Joseph-McCatty will give the second on November 13th (Times and Locations TBD).